Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Hail, Rex!

Well folks, those of you who aren't there, well, you should be! I speak, of course, of Mardi Gras in New Orleans; and Rex 2006 and his Queen are Tabasco topper Paul McIlhenny and University of Alabama student Charlotte Smallpage! As I write hither, King Paul is even now toasting Queen Charlotte and greeting his loyal subjects on this, the first Mardi Gras celebration since the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina, some six horrid months ago.

The Rex Ball and Meeting of the Courts of Rex and Comus will take place tonight at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel; the usual site for Mardi Gras' official big finale, the Morris F.X. Jeff Municpal Auditorium, having been devastated by the force of Katrina. Also somewhat devastated, but determined to go on nonetheless, are the team from WYES-TV/12, the Big Easy's PBS affiliate. Peggy and Errol Laborde and Henri Schindler will be your hosts this evening; how they managed to get themselves so fancy post-Katrina is, in my humble estimation, quite the miracle!

Regardless, I hope Their Merry Majesties have a wondrous celebration at tonight's Rex Ball; as I express that hope, I'd also like to renew an old idea I had once espoused on Mardi Gras Day --- the idea being, that while Their Majesties are ensconsed upon their Royal Thrones, they may wish to share a few greetings to and from their subjects by way of e-mail. Their Majesties do have quite a conversation during the Ball itself while everybody else is dancing all around them, Peggy once assured me; I hope this one is quite fruitful, and contains a lof of wonderful stories! Besides, nothing pleases your Dragonmaster more than seeing a King and Queen happy and content.

Therefore, a toast: Hail Rex! May your Reign be long and joyous; and may February 2007 find you once more seated upon thy throne, with all of thy humble and sovereign Kingdom of New Orleans restored to its rightful and proper status! Huzzah! and hurrah!